Minister Matt Keogh vows more help for Australian veterans

Veterans have hit out at Anthony Albanese’s decision to move the Veterans’ Affairs portfolio from Cabinet, calling it a “downgrade” and “deeply concerning”.

While welcoming the Government’s additional $500 million funding commitment, the Returned & Services League on Thursday said many veterans were “angered” by the move.

“The RSL will be vigilant in ensuring that this funding commitment is delivered and will continue to press the government to resolve the crucial issues faced by veterans and their families,” RSL Australia president Greg Melick said.

Matt Keogh, the new Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister, told The West Australian that there was “certainly no delineation” by the PM.

“The Defence portfolio is also held by the Deputy Prime Minister (Richard Marles), which means there’s the representation in Cabinet of all defence matters, whether it’s defence industry or veterans’ affairs or defence personnel,” Mr Keogh said.

“They are receiving the absolute highest advocacy and representation within Cabinet under Richard’s leadership.”

The Burt MP was locked up in briefings on Thursday where it was revealed the number of compensation claims made by veterans was “growing” above 60,000. “That is concerning,” he said.

Mr Keogh said processing veterans’ compensation applications was one of his top priorities, with Labor committing more than $200 million to put on extra staff to deal with the backlog.

His Liberal predecessor, Andrew Gee, threatened to resign from the job in March after being refused $96 million to clear the 60,000 unprocessed claims by the middle of next year.

Mr Keogh said he was up for the challenge and hoped to clear the waiting list “as quickly as possible”.

The 40-year-old said he would also address issues to come out of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. The next block of hearings is in Townsville from June 20.

According to a 2021 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, suicide deaths for former military men was 24 per cent higher than the rest of the country’s suicide rates and for ex-serving women it was 102 per cent higher than the national rate.

“I’m hugely honoured to be taking on this portfolio because it’s very important,” Mr Keogh said. “Our serving men and women put themselves in harm’s way and they do so in our national interest to protect our national interest.

“So making sure they’re well supported and looked after as they leave our services is a hugely important task and responsibility of government.”

Also during his first term in the new role, Mr Keogh will oversee the set up of the second veterans hub in WA after Labor made an election pledge of $5 million to build the new facility in the Rockingham region.

“(It will) provide better support co-ordination for our veterans and better services to assist them in that transition to work in civilian life when our Defence Force personnel choose to leave defence,” he said.

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